July 30, 2010

Wednesday night rides

For a few years now, I've been going on a 20 mile evening ride with a good friend.

We ride the 41st/42nd bike route, Hollywood overpass, Alameda ridge, 72nd by the golf course, chatting the entire time.

This week's ride was uneventful. Past rides have been uneventful except for the rare flat or the time that kid hit my front wheel with a basketball.

That is all.

July 27, 2010

Bike Path Obstacles

I rode to work today, 10 miles each way and it's a beautiful day.

On the bike path, I encountered a lady with a little bitty dog walking on the wrong side. A few runners, with ear buds. Light rail commuters who don't look before crossing. A coffee clotch-sized group of smokers who are apparently deaf to bells. A bunny. Big industrial mowers kicking up lots of my favorite allergen.

And best of all, a city worker with a huge weed whipper that looked more like a chain saw standing in the middle of the path with his back to me, just after a blind turn. Luckily he heard my scream over the din of his equipment and didn't impale me.

Now, for the ride home.

July 22, 2010

STP




Completed my sixth two day Seattle to Portland ride last weekend and it went perfectly! I'm ready to ride it in one day next year, or maybe I'm just being cocky. Time will tell.


Highlights:
Friday night - giant piece of chocolate cake & frisbee on the soccer field
Saturday morning - coffee delivered to my tent
Saturday, mile 40 - stopped and put a guy's saddle back on his bike.
Saturday, mile 50 - sushi for lunch!
Saturday, mile 80 - stopped and helped a tandem dad get his tire seated correctly so the tube would inflate.
Saturday, mile 100 - beer and ping pong.
Saturday, mile 107 - spaghetti and swimming and sliding down the big slide.
Sunday, mile 40 - lunch at 10am after being drafted by a fast Russian
Sunday, mile 75 - traditional raspberry shake & onion rings at Burgerville
Sunday, mile 85 - stopped and fixed a lady's flat on her mountain bike.
Sunday, mile 90 - still not sore or fatigued
Sunday, mile 100 - friends and roses at the finish line



Lowlights:
Left side. On your left. Passing on your left. Excuse me, would you mind if I try to squeeze through on your left please since there's a ton of cars coming and you're going like 12 while I'm doing 20? Pretty please?

Nobody offering help to those riders with mechanical problems. SAG is great but it's not instant.

A guy asking me "is this your first big ride"? The prejudice: clipless pedals = experienced. Toe cages = newbie. The truth: I've lost count of century rides but my approximate mileage since 2005 is 13,000.